So now that you are stuffed to the gills with Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and pie. With leftovers that could last til Christmas. Let's discuss being prepared for a disaster.
No, we are not trying to get you to believe the zombie apocalypse is upon us. But what about the next major power outage? Or that snow storm that shuts down the town? I live in an area where snow is just a dream and of course we only have one snow plow. It just so happens it lives at the airport. Though during the summers we used to have power outages that lasted for days. We have all heard it before, "It happens,"
Whether you live in a bustling metropolis or out in the country everyone should have something stored away for that rainy day. Let's break down some of the items needed for that occasion it hits the fan.
Most prepackaged camping food or "survival" food has a decent shelf life, but also needs to be mixed with water. Boiling water to be exact. So if you find yourself without utilities to boil water how do you plan to get it done? A small gas generator may just be the ticket but living in an apartment may make that difficult. With the generator kicking on and off at odd times you might not be a favorite with the neighbors, or it may make you a target for those that are without. Besides if you have no way to vent the exhaust it may become an inhalation hazard. You could use a gas camp stove, definitely quieter, but it will still need ventilation. Sterno is always a good choice but make sure you have more than enough for the amount of food you will be prepping all together. We will discuss this in the water section as well. check with your local sporting goods store and ask a knowledgeable staff member they will be able to help direct you in the right direction for your situation.
Now that fire has been acquired, next is our water supply. Not every time we have a disaster does the water go sour but just like we had near our block, a water main broke sending sand and other debris into each of our homes water sources. Using the water was a no go. This is where the boiling of water may be needed. If you do not have stored water and the utilities have not been cut off, boiling water is going to be a must. Make sure you have fuel enough to boil drinking water as well. At my homestead we have bottled water. Enough for each person to drink and cook with, for well over a week. according to ready.gov an adult should drink at least a half gallon of water, but that also depends on your activity level as well. Naturally, younger children need less and there is the fact that you must cook and wash with it. Reminder. if utilities are cut off that means sewer as well. So in this scenario we will not be using any for human waste. That is another subject for later. Anyway, 72 hours is the bare minimum. If you have the room, plan for a week per person. 2 gallons per adult per day to cover your bases.
On to the main course, Food. There are so many choices out there for storable food. Many companies sell freeze dried entrees, desserts, fruits, veggies and snack items. There are M.R.E. styles that do not need water, but they lack *ahem* flavor. Make sure that what you will be storing has a very long shelf life. No one wants to eat M.R.E.'s every five years because they are getting close to date. We at our house we cook from scratch all the time. We do have a few freeze dried entrees stashed but mostly we have freeze dried, canned or bottled ingredients. We feel we can get the most out of our choices in preparing almost any meal we would like. examples would be dry milk,eggs and butter, freeze dried cheese and meat. but we also have canned dried beans, rice, and flour. Our veggies have all been hand bottled, though we do have some canned veggies as well. Our main concern during a disaster is our protein intake, we have cut out all the finer things in life due to our space to store it all. Of course do not forget salt, pepper sugar (honey, which does not spoil even after being opened) and other seasonings you use daily.
Another area some have neglected would be everyday essentials, toilet paper, deodorant, toothpaste, dish soap, body soap (bar is easiest) OTC and prescription medications, feminine Hygeine products (check out Menstrual cups, my wife and daughter both have at least one each) and of course the first aid kit from my previous post. There are many other items that would fit in this post. depending on whether you stay or go will determine the validity of the items. I will be running down a bug out kit later for those times you must leave your place of dwelling.
Of course the elephant in the room, human waste. if you are wthout for just a few days using your home facilities maybe o.k.. But there may be that time when it is no longer safe to use. Urination for those not in an apartment setting is as easy as the outdoors, just do it away from the dwelling. Fecal matter is just that, another matter. apartment dwellers may be in want for a 5 gallon bucket and a trash bag. cut a hole in the lid of the bucket for the seat, place the opened trash bag into the bucket just as you would in a trash can. place the lid on the can using the lid to keep the bag from falling into the bucket when used. place another opened bag over the whole contraption to keep the smell at bay. for those in houses or the country this method can be used as well though digging a hole in the corner of your property might serve your purpose depending on the time of year.
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